JPH03266276A - Auto-changer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically or optionally attain cleaning by cleaning an optical system by storing beforehand a cleaning cartridge in the storage rack of a disk cartridge. CONSTITUTION:The cleaning cartridge 12 of the same external form as the cartridge 7 storing a cleaning plate 11 on which a brush 11a is set up at a spot opposite to an objective lens is stored previously at the prescribed place, for instance, the lowermost stage of the cartridge storage rack 2. On the other hand, at a central processing unit 15, the definite number of times of use of a driving device is counted previously, or a definite period of the use is set previously, or a definite period of the use is set previously by a timer, and the cleaning cartridge 12 is designated at the point of time of the unload of the driving device 3 at that set time, and the cleaning cartridge is taken out from the cartridge storage rack 12 through a carrier 5, and is loaded to the driving device 3, and the periodical cleaning of the optical system is realized. Thus, the cleaning of the driving device at a necessary occasion can be executed efficiently and surely by using the function of a auto-changer as it is.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an autochanger that exchanges a disk cartridge containing, for example, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, etc., between a cartridge storage shelf and a drive device.

(Prior art) In general, recording and recording using optical disks and magneto-optical disks
The drive device as a playback device has the following optical system:
(Because the objective lens is placed opposite the point where the disk cartridge enters and exits, dust that enters when the disk cartridge enters and exits or is carried by the air flow introduced for cooling the drive system.) If this contamination progresses, errors will occur in recording and playback, making it unusable.Therefore, if the objective lens surface Known methods include disassembling and cleaning the drive device, and cleaning the drive device while it is in use by inserting a cleaning cartridge.

However, in autochangers, insertion of cleaning cartridges from the outside is typically structurally restricted (generally closed) and the drive device cannot be accessed without disassembling the autochanger. However, even with the drive device in an autochanger, it is difficult to avoid contamination by dust due to the introduction of cooling air.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) Therefore, focusing on the fact that the autochanger stores a large number of disk cartridges, a cleaning cartridge is stored and placed in one of the cartridge storage shelves.
The idea is to use this when necessary.

(Objective of the Invention) The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and the cleaning cartridge installed in the cartridge storage shelf is loaded into the drive device using a carrier when an auto change operation is not being performed. The present invention aims to provide an autochanger that enables cleaning of the optical system without any difficulty.

(Means for Solving the Problem) Therefore, in the present invention, in an autochanger configured to move a carrier for exchanging disk cartridges between a cartridge storage shelf and a drive device, the cartridge storage shelf is A cleaning cartridge having the external structure of a disk cartridge is housed in a designated location, and is configured to be loaded into the drive device by a carrier and cleaned when necessary.

(Function) Therefore, the functions of the autochanger can be used as is to clean the optical system of the internally installed drive device, and this does not require any special treatment, such as disassembling or opening the autochanger. do not,
In addition, the drive device can be cleaned efficiently and reliably when necessary.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is the device main body of the disc autochanger, and on one side of the interior there is provided a disc cartridge storage shelf 2, which is equipped with a large number of shelves above and below, and directly below it is equipped with an optical disc or A drive device 3 is provided as an information recording and reproducing device for reproducing or recording information from a magneto-optical disk. In addition, a guide rail 4 is vertically arranged on the other side of the apparatus main body 1 in line with the cartridge storage shelf 2 and the drive device 3, and a cartridge carrier 5 is slidably arranged on the guide rail 4. has been done. A moving member 6 that moves in the loading and unloading directions is disposed on the carrier 5, and the distal end of the moving member 6 engages with the cartridge 7 to move it to the carrier 5.
a hand 8 for holding or disengaging the cartridge 7 to return or remove the cartridge 7 to or from each shelf of the cartridge storage shelf 2 and for inserting or ejecting the cartridge 7 into or from the drive device 3; is provided. The carrier 5 is provided at its center with a drive means 9 for raising and lowering the carrier 5 along the guide rail 4 and a drive means 10 for moving the moving member 6 forward or backward. In particular, in the present invention, a cleaning cartridge 1 is provided in which a cleaning plate 11 is housed in a predetermined position of the cartridge housing 11112, for example, in the lowermost stage, and the cleaning plate 11 has the same external shape as the cartridge 7 and has a brush lla implanted in a position facing the objective lens.
2 is stored.

In addition, in this embodiment, the device main body 1 of the autochanger
A cartridge loading port 13 is disposed in the autochanger, and a table case 14 for passing the receiver, which is rotatably operated around a pivot shaft 14a, is disposed in the autochanger.

The drive means 9 and 10 are operated based on control signals from the central processing unit 15. Control signals are input to the central processing unit 15 from, for example, a keyboard 16. The central processing unit 15 is equipped with a RAM 17, a ROM 18, etc., and can be accessed via a path line 19, like a normal microcomputer.

In such a configuration, the drive means 9 is driven by a cartridge selection signal inputted to the central processing unit 15 from the keyboard 16, and the carrier 5 is transported to a desired shelf of the cartridge storage shelf, where the drive means 10 is activated. The movement moves the moving member 6 forward and backward, and the hand 8 takes out the required disk cartridge 7. Thereafter, the carrier 5 is lowered to face the drive device 3, and the disk cartridge 7 is taken out from the carrier 5 and inserted into the drive device 3 by the action of the moving member 6 and the hand 8.

After the drive device 3 has read or recorded the disc, when the disc cartridge 7 is taken out in response to a signal from the central processing unit 15, the carrier 5 takes it in with the help of the moving member 6 and the hand 8. Return the cartridge 7 to the original shelf in the reverse order to that described above.

The above operations are generally well-known operations of an autochanger.

On the other hand, the central processing unit 15 counts a certain number of times the drive device is used or sets a certain period of use using a timer, and when the drive device 3 is unloaded at that time, the cleaning cartridge 1 is
2 is specified, taken out from the cartridge storage shelf 2 via the carrier 5, and loaded into the drive device 3, thereby realizing periodic cleaning of the optical system. The operation mode is the same as that for loading a normal cartridge 7.

At this time, the drive device 3 does not control reading/recording or the like.

The flowchart shown in FIG. 3 shows a method for automatically cleaning using the autochanger function when the operating time of the drive device or the disc playback error rate detected by the central processing unit 15 exceeds a predetermined value. An example process is shown. This will be explained step by step. When the start of cleaning is set in step S1, first, in step S2, it is determined whether or not the usage time of the drive device 3 exceeds a set value.

Furthermore, in step S3, it is determined whether the reproduction error rate exceeds a set value. If both results are negative, the same loop is repeated, but if it exceeds the set value,
In step S4, the cartridge 1 in the drive device 3 is
7 loading status is asked. If it is in the loading state, the process moves to step S5 and waits until the cartridge in use is returned to the cartridge storage shelf 2. Then, the next step S6. S7. In the process of S8, the cleaner cartridge 12 is loaded into the drive device M3, the optical system, especially the surface of the objective lens, is cleaned, and the cleaning cartridge 12 is removed from the drive device 3 again.
It is returned to the designated shelf. Note that, if necessary, an interrupt may be generated before step S4 by an arbitrary cleaning designation (for example, by input from a keyboard) to force the cleaning to begin. Further, after cleaning, data regarding usage time is initialized in the central processing unit 15. Similarly, the playback error rate is also initialized.

Such a process is merely an example, and various modifications and changes in preferred forms are free.

(Effects of the Invention) The present invention has been described in detail above, and the cleaning cartridge is stored in a disc cartridge storage shelf in advance, and is brought to the drive device by an auto-change operation similar to the disc cartridge, and the optical system of the cleaning cartridge is The cleaning can be performed automatically or arbitrarily without any difficulty or trouble.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a cleaning cartridge used herein, and FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of a cleaning process. 2... Cartridge storage shelf 3... Drive device 5
...Carrier 7...Cartridge 8.
...Hand 12...Cleaning cartridge diagram

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an autochanger configured to move a carrier between a cartridge storage shelf and a drive device to exchange a disk cartridge, a cleaning cartridge having an external structure of a disk cartridge is stored in a designated location on the cartridge storage shelf; An autochanger characterized in that the autochanger is configured to be loaded into the drive device by a carrier and cleaned when necessary.